"I felt we made a mistake in building a baseball field. I thought that should have been the ice skating rink, because I think hockey in this state right now, not just hockey, but ice skating, if you come up to our office building at 6:00 in the morning, some mornings you can't get a parking spot because parents have taken their kids up here to skate...I think hockey will be a great addition to our intercollegiate program. [The Pegula gift] is a great, great gift. And I think very far-sighted and I'm really pleased with it." - Joe Paterno

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Johnson Transfers to Oklahoma

Bored by the thought of Penn State's February 15th and 16th home series against Oklahoma, PSU's third against ACHA competition and second in a three-week span? There's now at least one reason why it should hold some interest: it will mark the Ice Pavilion return of former Icer and Nittany Lion Bryce Johnson.

Johnson, who left the team on January 3rd, has transferred to OU to play for the Sooners, presently 15-9-4 and ranked fifth in ACHA Division 1. He made his debut with his new team Friday night in a 3-1 loss at NCAA Division I Alabama-Huntsville, registering one shot on goal. UAH, coincidentally, visits the Ice Pavilion the week before Johnson's new team.

The Iowa native, of course, is now attending his third college. He initially played at St. Cloud State, appearing in three games for the Huskies in 2010-2011 before leaving midway though the season and finishing out the campaign with the USHL's Omaha Lancers. Johnson then headed to Penn State, playing for the final Icers ACHA team in 2011-2012 and in nine games for the inaugural Nittany Lions NCAA team this season before moving on to his latest stop. Despite that long and winding journey, he's listed as a sophomore on Oklahoma's roster after being a junior in NCAA terms at PSU.

I'll spare the eulogy of the speedy forward's time in Happy Valley - I already did one of those when he left the team - and simply wish him the best at Oklahoma, save for two games in the middle of next month.